


The Fall

by commandershakarian



Series: Madera Lavellan X Cremisius "Krem" Aclassi [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, New love, Skyhold, The Bull's Chargers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-17 14:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3533348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commandershakarian/pseuds/commandershakarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Madera Lavellan tries to find a way to apologize to Krem for breaking his nose, only she finds herself in a uncertain situation with the Chargers' lieutenant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fall

How could she have been so _stupid_? Yes, Madera Lavellan knew that she'd been mourning Solas' abrupt departure, the relationship that had ended before it had even really began, but there was no excuse for what she'd done. Krem had been kind to her. He had shown support, understanding, a caring that not even her closest friends shared with her. Everyone had tried their best to make her smile, to find a way to bring Madera's usual happy nature back to the fore, but nothing had worked, and in turn, they'd given up. Krem… he challenged her. He didn't _try_ to make her smile, he succeeded.

And then she'd gone and broken his nose.

It had been an accident. The sparring match had ended with her on her back, Krem pinning her to the ground. The headbutt hadn't meant to cause harm. It was a tactic Madera had used in the past to get her opponent back onto their feet. In this instance, it hadn't gone as planned.

Running her hands through her dark choppy hair, she tried to find the words that she desperately needed to say to him. She had made a mistake. She'd been foolish. Her mind hadn't been on the match…

Closing her eyes, a groan escaped her throat. She was so _stupid_.

Acting before her mind could catch up, Madera pushed open the door to the tavern and entered. The smell of spilled ale and strong mead greeted her. The noise inside the building was at its peak. The soldiers, scouts, and Bull's chargers were celebrating their victory over Corypheus, _again_ , but the scene made the petite elf smile. These men and women deserved their down time. It had been a hard fought war and they had survived.

The Iron Bull sat at a table, the rest of his team occupying its other seats. All were in attendance except the one person Madera sought. Swallowing her fear, the Inquisitor approached them.

Bull glanced up and grinned at the sight of the woman who had saved Thedas. "Hey, boss! Come to join us? We have room."

Mads shook her head, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face at the invitation. "No thanks, Bull. I was only here to talk to Krem. Do you know where he is?"

The Iron Bull let out a bellow of a laugh, his voice filling the small tavern easily. Placing an enormous hand on the elf's shoulder, he shook her with his chuckles. "Want to see the damage, eh? You hit him right between the eyes! It swelled up to the size of tomato!"

The other members of the Chargers laughed. Madera blushed, shame and embarrassment competing for dominance. She didn't find Krem's pain or discomfort amusing and the fact that she caused it made her feel worse.

"Very funny, Chief." A deep voice spoke from behind her. Madera froze in terror, immediately recognizing it. "It's nice to see that you weren't worried over me."

Bull flashed a smirk at his lieutenant. "I could never worry over you, Krem _de la creme_. You wouldn't be a Charger if I thought a headbutt could take you down."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Chief." Krem paused. Mads could feel his eyes appraising her before he spoke again. "Good evening, Your Worship."

Knowing that they had an audience, Madera put on a strained smile and turned to face her victim from yesterday. Cremisius Aclassi stood before her, tall and proud, his well-muscled frame displayed through the tunic he wore instead of armor. His chestnut hair hung loose, the strands damp from what had most likely been a bath. A bruise extended from the nose injury she had caused to below his right eye. The bridge of the nose was slightly crooked, but not looking too worse for wear.

Feeling guilt consume her, Madera stared at his nose, torturing herself with what she'd done to such a sweet man. "Krem- I am _so sorry_." Reaching a hand out to grip his forearm, she stepped closer, trying to see his thoughts through his brown eyes. "I am horrible for what I've done to you. Can you ever forgive me? _Please_ tell me that I can do something to make this up to you."

Krem didn't speak. Madera wasn't sure if her pleading had left him speechless or if he was truly that angry with her that he had nothing left to say, but she refused to release his gaze. She wasn't sure how long they stood like that, but she knew she wouldn't be the first to look away.

"Get a room already." The Iron Bull muttered, shaking his horned head before drowning himself in the tankard in his hand.

Madera's face turned a bright shade of red, the comment making her wonder what she was truly doing there to begin with. She should have apologized and left, not stuck around staring at the man she'd injured…

"Your Worship? Uh, would you care for a walk?" Krem glared at the Iron Bull before turning a kind expression on her. "The tavern is too crowded at the moment."

Madera, ignoring Bull and the other Chargers' woops and hollers, followed Krem from the warm tavern out into the chilly afternoon. She took a deep breath of the icy air, her heart hammering in her chest. It wasn't guilt making her nervous this time, but something else. Something she hadn't felt since Solas had broken her heart.

Krem smiled before leading her away from the building. Madera hurried to keep up with his long strides. The pair walked towards Skyhold's main hall, the sounds of more merriment being carried on inside. Before he could ascend the enormous staircase, the warrior paused, his steps faltering.

Mads halted, her short legs making it easy. She stared up at the human, his height and muscle dwarfing her own. She could see him chewing the inside of his cheek, something she'd never noticed before. She had to admit it was endearing.

"May I ask you something, Your Worship?"

She didn't like him using her title. It was too formal. "Please, call me 'Mads'. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Yes, I think we are." He met her eyes, tenderness and sorrow in them. "Why did he leave?"

Madera cocked her head. "Whom are you referring to?"

"The apostate." The word was said with sadness, as if it hurt Krem to speak it. "He hurt you. I'm aware of that, but he stayed with the Inquisition to do what? Hurt you even more than he already had?"

Mads shook her head, hating the conversation, but knowing she had to discuss it sometime, with someone. "No, that wasn't his intent, although it did hurt to have him here… _after_. He wanted to study the orb that Corypheus had used to destroy the Conclave. With it broken-"

"There was nothing to keep him here." Krem finished for her.

Madera nodded her head, silently. She didn't want to dwell on the details, but it hurt more knowing that Solas hadn't stayed for her, but for an object from her people. Was she truly that undesirable to him? That he would leave her without a goodbye, without a word of where he was going and why? The reminder hurt more than when it had originally occurred. She turned her eyes downward, ashamed that Solas could still hurt her.

A soft hand touched her cheek gently, a graze that was meant to gain her attention. When Mads met Krem's gaze once again, the expression on his face made her pause.

"Had I been in his position," Krem said with no hesitation, "Nothing would have kept me from you."

Madera felt her tongue grow heavy. There were so many things she wished to say to the man standing in front of her, but nothing would come out. Covering Krem's hand with her own, she stilled as he leaned down, lips getting slowly closer to her own. She closed her eyes and leaned towards the warrior, losing herself in the moment, unsure of what the two of them were expecting to happen.

She unconsciously shuffled forward, her desire to be close to Krem taking over her body. Her foot snagged on a root. It threw her off balanced and before she could reach for Krem to steady her, the Inquisitor tumbled to the ground, her ankle twisting under the impact.

Pain radiated from her ankle and up her leg, a dull throbbing that took away her breath. "Ow!"

"Are you alright?" Krem was beside her in an instant, his warm fingers probing the spot she'd hurt. "Do you think you can walk?"

She hissed as the tender ankle shot pain up her leg once more. "Of all the things to incapacitate me, it had to be a sprained ankle. I mean, I've fought dragons, Fade demons, ancient darkspawn magisters…" Madera's words trailed off when Krem chuckled. Raising an eyebrow at him, the elf crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to look stern, but a smile betrayed her. "Was this your version of revenge, Lieutenant?"

Krem shook his head. His smile never faltered. "No. But- can you blame me if I take a little pleasure from it?"

"I owe you for the nose, Aclassi. So have your laughs, but don't expect me to forget this."

Krem easily lifted Madera off of the ground and into his arms, cradling the small elven woman against his chest. Mads' cheeks flushed from being so close to the warrior. "Whatever you say, Your Worship."


End file.
